Fuoco, for piano

This 3-minute piano piece forms part of a sequence with Passionale (2003, also published by Boosey & Hawkes) and Narcissus (2002, published by Fennica Gehrman). Rautavaara is the leading Finnish composer of his generation. His mystical character comes to the fore in music of rich colour and sweeping melodic profile, at once accessible and evocative. 'Fuoco' is a kind of toccata in which fluctuaing rhythmic patterns, changes of tessitura and subtle pedalling effects create a coruscating illustration of the title (fire).